These Raspberry Cupcakes are soft, fluffy, and bursting with bright raspberry flavor in every bite. Made with real raspberries and topped with a silky raspberry cream cheese frosting, they're perfectly balanced between sweet and tangy. Light, tender, and bakery-style, these cupcakes are ideal for spring and summer celebrations, birthdays, baby showers, or anytime you're craving a fruity dessert that feels extra special.
If you love a dessert that tastes like pure summer in every bite, these Raspberry Cupcakes with Raspberry Frosting are exactly what you need. We’re talking soft, tender cupcakes made with a fresh raspberries - no Jell-O powder, no artificial flavors - topped with the most gorgeous, naturally pink raspberry buttercream you’ve ever piped.
Best of all, these cupcakes are easy to make with simple ingredients and come together without any complicated steps-perfect for both beginner and experienced bakers. Whether you’re baking for a birthday, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, or just a random Tuesday that deserves something special, these raspberry cupcakes are guaranteed to impress.
For more fruity bakes, try my Strawberry Crunch Cupcakes, Strawberries and Cream Layer Cake, or Lemon Blackberry Loaf!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Double the Raspberry: We use raspberries in the batter and freeze fried raspberries for the frosting for a punchy, tart flavor that cuts through the sugar.
- Soft & fluffy texture: Thanks to the addition of buttermilk, these cupcakes are ultra-moist and stay fresh for days.
- Easy, one-bowl batter: The cupcake batter comes together quickly in one bowl with no fancy equipment - a hand mixer works perfectly.
- Perfect for any occasion: From parties to everyday treats
For the cupcakes
For the frosting
Ingredient Notes
Cupcakes
- All-purpose flour: Spoon and level for accurate measuring.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cupcakes and helps create a fluffy texture when creamed with the butter.
- Butter: Adds richness and flavor. Use unsalted butter for best salt control. You can substitute the half of the butter with any neutral tasting oil such as canola or vegetable oil as well.
- Eggs: Use room temperature eggs for even mixing.
- Buttermilk: This keeps the cupcakes incredibly moist. You can use plain yogurt or sour cream as well.
- Raspberries: Fresh or frozen both work. Chop larger berries and gently fold them in.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the overall flavor.
- Baking powder: Provides lift for fluffy cupcakes.
- Salt: Balances sweetness.
- Raspberry Preserves: Use your favorite raspberry jam here.
Frosting
- Unsalted Butter: Softened for a smooth frosting.
- Powdered sugar: Make sure its sifted to prevent any lumps in the frosting. Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
- Cream cheese: A brick of full-fat cream cheese will create the richest cream cheese icing. Cream cheese spread in a tub is too runny. Philadelphia cream cheese tastes the best!
- Freeze-Dried Raspberries: This is the star for the frosting. By grinding these into a powder, we get intense flavor and color without adding any extra moisture
- Pure Vanilla extract: Rounds out sweetness.
Substitutions & Variations
- Make them lemon raspberry. Add the zest of one lemon to the batter and a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice to the frosting for a bright, citrusy twist.
- Vanilla frosting: Skip raspberry frosting and use classic vanilla buttercream frosting.
- White Chocolate Core: Core the cooled cupcakes and fill them with white chocolate ganache for an extra indulgent surprise.
- Add a raspberry jam filling. Use a cupcake corer or small knife to hollow out the center of each baked cupcake and fill with a teaspoon of seedless raspberry jam before frosting for an extra raspberry surprise inside.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here is how to make these raspberry cupcakes. You can use a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer.Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Cream butter & sugar: In a large bowl beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs & vanilla: Mix in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla.
Alternate buttermilk & dry ingredients: With the mixer on low speed add dry ingredients and buttermilk in alternating additions, mixing just until combined.
Fold in raspberries: Gently fold chopped raspberries into the batter.
Fill liners: Divide cupcake batter evenly, filling liners about ⅔ full. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 5-10 minutes then place them on a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting: Beat softened butter with powdered sugar, sifted freeze-dried raspberry powder and cream cheese. Beat on high for 3-5 minutes until fluffy.
With a piping bag fitted with a piping tip ,pipe the frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
Optionally garnish the cupcakes with a fresh raspberries and serve!
Tips & Tricks for Perfect Raspberry Cupcakes
- Do not overmix: Do not overmix the batter once the flour is added-mix just until combined.
- Coat Your Berries: Toss your fresh raspberries in a teaspoon of flour before folding them into the batter. This prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the liners.
- Room Temp Everything: I say it all the time because it's true! Your eggs, buttermilk, and butter must be at room temperature to create a smooth, emulsified batter.
- The Frosting Secret: Sift your freeze-dried raspberry powder through a fine-mesh sieve before adding it to the butter. This removes the tiny seeds, leaving you with a perfectly smooth frosting that won’t clog your piping tips.
- Don’t Overfill: Only fill your liners ⅔ full. If you overfill, the cupcakes will spill over the edges and lose that perfect dome shape
FAQ's
Yes, you can use raspberry jam in place of freeze-dried raspberries. Use a thick, seedless raspberry jam and add it gradually to the frosting to avoid making it too soft. If needed, add a little extra powdered sugar or chill the frosting briefly to keep it thick and pipeable.
Too much raspberry moisture can cause this. Chop berries small and toss lightly in flour.
They're lightly sweet with a fresh, fruity tang that balances beautifully with frosting.
Absolutely. Bake the cupcakes a day ahead and store them unfrosted at room temperature in an airtight container. Make the frosting the day of and pipe just before serving for the freshest result.
Storage & Freezing
Storage
- Store frosted raspberry cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Freezing
- Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then frost before serving.
More Cupcake Recipes You Will Love
Recipe
Raspberry Cupcakes
Equipment
- 12-cup Muffin Tin
- Electric Mixer
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter room temperature
- ⅔ cup (133g) granulated white sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120ml) buttermilk room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups (150g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsps baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup raspberries chopped
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces (227g) full-fat cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 3 cups (375g) confectioners' sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup freeze dried raspberry powder
Instructions
For the Raspberry Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350F/175C. Line a 12-cup cupcake tin with paper liners.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until creamed, about 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Then beat on medium-high speed until combined, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Stir the flour, baking powder and salt along with the buttermilk to the wet ingredients until no streaks of flour remain. Gently stir in the chopped raspberries into the batter.Do not overmix.
- Spoon batter evenly into the prepared liners, filling them about ⅔ full. Bake for about 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5-7 minutes before removing and placing on a wire rack to cool completely.
For the cream cheese frosting:
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy.
- Add confectioners' sugar, raspberry powder and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 3-4 minutes.
To Assemble:
- Transfer the raspberry frosting to a piping bag and pipe a big dollop on top of each cupcake.
- Optionally, top the cupcakes with fresh raspberries and enjoy!
Notes
- Fresh or frozen raspberries: Both work well in this recipe. If using frozen raspberries, do not thaw them before adding to the batter to prevent excess moisture and color bleeding.
- Toss raspberries in flour: Lightly coat the raspberries in a bit of flour before folding them into the batter. This helps prevent them from sinking.
- Do not overmix the batter: Mix just until combined to keep the cupcakes soft and fluffy.
- Raspberry frosting tip: If using raspberry jam, increase the amount of confectioners' sugar slightly to prevent the frosting from becoming too thin.
- Cool before frosting: Make sure cupcakes are completely cooled before adding frosting to prevent melting.
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